NBA defends quest for 'integrity fee' payment in sports bets

In a statement late Wednesday night, the NBA defended that 'its games are the foundation of what will be bet on', after New Jersey's state Senate president called on all 50 states to reject so-called "integrity fees" as part of any sports betting legislation that might be enacted.

Major League Baseball said in a statement Wednesday it will focus on "developing meaningful partnerships" with state governments and betting operators. The NFL wants Congress to pass federal legislation regulating sports betting, which could include a determination on whether the leagues should get such payments.

"We will continue to collaborate with states on a regulated framework that ensures the protection of our fans and the integrity of our games," NBA spokesman Mike Bass stated. "As the intellectual property creators for this content, our games serve as the foundation for legalized sports betting, providing casinos the ability to earn revenue off our games, while we bear all the risk that accompanies sports betting and will incur additional expenses to expand our existing compliance and enforcement programs.

"As a result, we believe it is reasonable for casinos to compensate the NBA with a small percentage of the total amount bet on our games," he said.

Many states vehemently oppose such payments, but some have shown a willingness to negotiate with the leagues.